Pray for Greece - Economy may Crash - Greek Orthodox Church

Week of April 27 - May 3, 2015

<< Also read prayer needs and update on European Initiative Balkans' in left column.


In the News: If Greece falls, no one wants their prints on the murder weapon

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - "We're going bust." "No, you're not." "You're strangling us." "No we're not." "You owe us for World War Two." "We gave already."

Europe's political leaders and central bankers and Greek politicians agree on only one thing: if Greece goes down, they don't want their fingerprints on the murder weapon.

"We are doing everything we can to save Greece from itself, but in the end, it's up to them," is the message pouring out of Berlin, Brussels and IMF headquarters in Washington.

[Greek Prime Minister Alexis] Tsipras revived demands for reparations for the Nazi German occupation of Greece in 1941-44, which his government put at 279 billion euros ($303.5 billion) - more than its 240 billion euro bailout from the euro zone and the International Monetary Fund.
Berlin responded that it had already compensated victims and a 1990 agreement with the four victorious World War Two powers on German unification had put an end to war claims.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been careful to express goodwill and tried to build a relationship of trust with Tsipras while insisting Greece must meet its lenders' reform conditions, which include fiercely resisted pension cuts and labor reforms
.
Prayer Points:
1)    The Greek position is very weak in that it was agreed in the 1990 reunification of Germany that all reparations were canceled. Pray for Greece as it faces difficult decisions.
2)    Greece is in deep financial trouble due to mismanagement of state funds, for which it does not want to take ownership. The Greek government simply must take fiscal responsibility and make though decisions. Pray that Greece would accept the bitter medicine.
3)    The pill of humility is hard to swallow; pray for Greece to accept this reality. May the Lord help the Greeks to accept this reality.

The Greek Orthodox Church is important to the Greek people; their identity as a people rest upon this Church and its teachings. It is the national religion. To see a full revival in Greece you must ask the Lord to do one of two things, 1) bring a move of God in the Orthodox Church, or 2) the Greek people need to be convinced GOC is irrelevant to their current needs and a renewal of first century Christianity break out. The Greek Orthodox Church is deeply entrenched in tradition, gripped by a religious spirit, and a stiff-necked attitude. Their worship of the holy Fathers and the belief that their cathedrals are the manifestation of heaven on earth are just not resulting in changed lives.

The Orthodox Church  observes Easter and the fifty days that lead up to Pentecost. (You can google Bright Week or Orthodox Easter to learn more) The Western Catholic Church puts an importance on the 40 days before Easter (Lent), while the Eastern Orthodox put importance on the 50 days following Easter. The fifty days lead up to Pentecost. These days are filled with special rituals and meetings that do present the Gospel message. Interestingly, there is a day when the Holy Spirit is esteemed with great honor. Honoring the Holy Spirit is rarely seen among protestant denominations.

4)    Let us ask the Lord to use this time of Bright Week and the days leading up to Pentecost to break into the hearts of Greeks and Orthodox believers everywhere.
5)    Let us pray for angelic visitations to intervene as the priest conduct these traditional rituals.
6)    Lord Jesus, have mercy on the Orthodox Church and bind those religious spirits that would operate during these fifty days. Let Your Word come forth in authority as it is read. Lord, we know that Your Word does not return void.
7)    Most of all we want to see the Greek Orthodox Church (GOC) changed and come alive; Lord, release freedom. Let us pray that many Greeks would be filled with the Holy Spirit.

The Orthodox Church is steeped with the bondage of religion and is lifeless. Sometimes you have to just let the dead bury their dead and go follow life in another direction. However we pray that God would call forth the remnant from among them.

Let us pray for the second scenario, GOC becoming irrelevant. To many Greeks this has already happened, especially the younger generation. Simply, Lord, show them where to turn. Lord, show them you are not just an icon but rather You are there to comfort them in their times of need.

8)    May the Lord raise up ministries that will flow with the Holy Spirit to draw Greeks to true salvation.
9)    Let us pray for Greeks that will go hard after God. Jeremiah 29:13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
10)    Let us pray for evangelist to reach the people of Greece. Lord, release those that will have a love for Greeks and a burden to see them come to know Jesus.

Please leave a Comment or Reaction so we will know you Prayed.

Pray for Croatia

Week of Dec. 29, 2014 - Jan. 4,2015

Josipovic in Narrow Lead in Croatian Presidential Polls
Incumbent president Ivo Josipovic leads by just 1.5 per cent in first round of Croatian presidential elections, held amid a continuing economic crisis in the newest EU state.
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/croatian-presidential-elections-kick-off

Much prayer is needed for this Government. The Croatian economy is struggling as Croatia continues the process of full integration into the European Union. Present statistics are grim with 19.2% unemployment overall and 41.5% unemployment among the youth. 

On a positive note, there has been some forward movement in government / church relations. With Croatia being a predominately Catholic nation the government has generally catered to their concerns and turned a blind eye to evangelicals and other denominations. But there has been a change in 2014 as the following report announces.

Pastor Mario Ducic, with Croatian Christian Coalition, in September 2014 filed this report about the legal battle him and two other pastors fought:

AFTER YEARS OF FIGHTING legal battles, meeting with politicians, participating in television debates, and holding protests, we are excited to announce that last Friday we finally signed a contract with the Government of the Republic of Croatia! This contact secures for us the right to hold meetings in prisons and hospitals, hold catechism in the public schools, and legally conduct weddings. We will also receive an annual donation from Government. What is important to note is that in the contract it states that the State has no right to dictate the beliefs or practices of the church.

We will now move forward to legalize homeschooling in Croatia. Please join us in prayer for this, as many families in Croatia would like to have this option for their children.

Added Note: A few days ago, Ivo Josipovic visited the Christmas Day service of the largest Evangelical church in Zagreb.

Prayer Points:
1)    Let us pray for the various spheres of government in Croatia. May God give the government wisdom to face the many challenges boldly and with the best interest of the people.
2)    The government needs men and women that understand the times, do not bow to corruption and can formulate sound policies. Pray for ethical, moral statesmen to be raised up.
3)    Unemployment creates a burden for the people. Let us pray that new policies would encourage entrepreneurial endeavors which will result in many new jobs.
4)    Let us thank the Lord for intervening in the affairs of state to bring about equality legislation for all religious institutions. Let us pray that religious freedom be set in as a solid policy of the Croatian Constitution.
5)    Let us pray for Pastors and church leaders who sacrifice their time and energy to press forward the issue of religious freedom. May many more Christians be encouraged to get involved in government.

Now therefore, be wise, O kings;
Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
 Serve the Lord with fear,
And rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,
And you perish in the way,
When His wrath is kindled but a little.
Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.
Psalm 2:10-12 (NKJV)

6)    We see the president’s visit to an Evangelical Church as a positive step on many levels. Let us pray that this would result in more Christians praying for the president and his administration and that the government would be more attentive to the needs of Evangelicals.

Pray for SERBIA

Week of Nov. 17-23, 2014

Google Map of Belgrade

A message from Jerry and Zuzanna :

We are so grateful to each of you as you join us in standing in the gap for the Balkan nations week after week, for 6 years now. This prayer blog has evolved through the years and it is evolving still. Starting with this week and going forward, we will have a section in the left column for European Initiative Balkans prayer needs which will give each of you an opportunity to pray specifically for our ministry as European Initiative’s Balkans Base Leaders. In this region called the Balkans, one becomes very acutely aware of ones dependence on prayer. We believe our effectiveness hinges on the prayers of intercessors like you. We will share upcoming events and various needs. “Ministry Needs, Plans & Prayer” will appear in the Column to the left of this prayer directive. Thank you for taking the time to pray over our needs in addition to the country we feature each week.

Friday morning (11/14/2014) I attended a prayer meeting and the Lord’s presence was in our mist. Although this prayer meeting was in Zagreb there was an intercessor there from Serbia. There was a point in our prayer time when we went deep in intercession for Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. God has a divine plan for Serbia; may we be found worthy, that the Lord would share that plan with us.

Prayer Points:
1)    The Serbian people are a proud people and nationalism runs very deep. Oh, Lord we want to know Your heart for the people of Serbia. We pray for a great host of Serbs to be standing before the throne when the books are opened. May they hold their heads high because they fought the good fight and held on to God’s Word.
2)    Let us once again pray for the capitol city of Belgrade. Close to 1.5 million people and only about 1,000 Christians. Lord raise up intercessors to cry for that city. Raise up ministries that will pour resources into the city.
3)    Lord we pray for houses of prayer to be birth with an open heaven where the Holy Spirit dwells constantly. Lord, draw together those that have a burden for Belgrade.
4)    Lord we lift up the Christians in Serbia. May they choose to fear the Lord and submit to the teaching of the Holy Spirit so they may prosper and their descendants establish wisdom in the land. Let us believe for strong Christian families that are grounded in principles of the Gospel. May their descendants inherit a righteous Serbia.
5)    Though the vision of a righteous land seems distant now, let us pray that the Christians will do what is right in all things. Purify Your people so the vileness of hypocrisy will be wiped away.
6)    Let us continue to pray for those bound by alcohol and drugs. Heroin is cheap compared to other countries and easily acquired, therefore there are a large number of drug addicts. Hope is the answer, and Jesus gives hope.
7)    Lord, release an extra measure of grace and healing in the alcohol and drug centers in Serbia. We pray for restoration in these broken lives. Let not the enemy steal their destinies.
8)    Let us be burdened for the pastors of Serbian churches. May they stand strong and not be weary in well-doing. We must hold up their arms because the battles are hard. May Psalms 25: 12-13 be their portion. “Who is the man that fears the LORD? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses.  He himself shall dwell in prosperity, And his descendants shall inherit the earth.

2 Cor. 4: 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

9)   Lord we join You in commanding the “light to shine out of darkness”. Take the present darkness and transform it into Light. We command the bad to be turned to good. Let us speak boldly to the enemy to take his hands off Serbia.
Please leave a Comment or a Reaction so we will know you Prayed.

Pray for Bosnia Herzegovina

Week of Sept. 8-14, 2014

In the News: Up to five feared dead in Bosnian coal mine accident

(Reuters) - Up to five Bosnian miners were feared dead after a rock burst left them trapped, rescuers and other miners said on Friday, as emergency teams evacuated others who had spent more than 18 hours underground.

Mine Manager Esad Civic said 29 miners had been rescued, among 34 who had been trapped half a kilometre below the surface after an earthquake triggered a rock burst on Thursday afternoon.
•    Thomas  - (Comment) Being from SW Pa, you had few choices for employment: Steel Mills or Coal Mines. Both very dangerous, underpaid for services and certainly unappreciated. Education was/is one of the few ways out.

Prayer Points:
1)    Let us pray for the miners that lost their lives in this tragedy in the Raspotocje mine in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H). Pray that their families will be taken care of by the community, friends and government. I don’t know if there is an evangelical church in the area but may a group of Christians be moved to reach out to these families.
2)    Thomas (unknown American) has a very good point about education. The uneducated tend to end up with the tough and dangerous jobs at a lower pay. Let us pray for the educational system of B&H.
3)    May the parents in B&H fulfill their duty to direct and challenge their children to excel in school. We pray that the Christian families would lead the way in providing a good education for their children.
4)    Let us pray for a day in B&H when disciplined and educated Christians are raised up to lead the nation.
5)    B&H does have a Muslim majority and much money and efforts are being spent on radicalizing them. Let us pray that the enemies’ plans in the Muslim communities would fail.
6)    The churches in B&H are small and weak but may they open their hearts to share the love of Jesus with their Muslim neighbors.
7)    Let us pray for the birthing of ministries specifically to the Muslims in B&H. Lord, please send missionaries who have a heart for and know how to reach Muslims.
8)    Lord Jesus, we pray for revival in B&H. Lord, may the people be set free from the tragedies of the past and come forth healed and redeemed.

Please leave a Comment or Reaction so we will know you Prayed.

Pray for Turkey

Week of Aug. 25-31,2014

Thank the Lord for Turkey. Over the past 100 years Turkey has developed as a semi-secular culture. Now, in Christian lands secularism is bad but secularism that moves away from Islam is good.

As we know from the news, a real evil side of Islam is arising in the Middle East. The ISIS, the Hamas and other radical Islam groups are set on “purifying the land” by getting rid of all non-Islamic people groups. They demand conversion to Islam or death by decapitation. Please pray for the Christians in northern Iraq and Syria. For the past 20 years there has been an underground move of God in Iran. People are coming to Jesus by the thousands daily. The government is so Islamic that these Christians can’t openly meet. [see http://www.charismamag.com/spirit/revival/20936-revival-in-iran-i-want-to-be-a-christian

Because Turkey is still considered an Islamic state these persecuted Christians are able to immigrate or escape to Turkey. There are parts of Turkey that is more tolerant to Christians, and these refugees enjoy the freedom to worship.

Prayer Points:
1)    Let us join in thanking the Lord for Turkey. May Turkey be blessed for providing a sanctuary for the persecuted Church.
2)    Let us pray for many homes to be opened for these immigrants coming to Turkey.
3)    Lord, we ask that every Turk that helps a Christian or Jew would be blessed and protected. We pray that they too would become Christians as they hear the testimonies of Your love Lord Jesus.
4)    Let us pray for favor to be extended by the Turkish government towards these refugees to receive immigrant status.
5)    Let us pray for the many unnamed radio and internet broadcasters that are reaching into the Islamic world with the message of the Gospel. Lord, we ask for your protection and an inability of the enemy to jam these broadcast.
6)    The internet is very useful communication tool for those in heavily Islamic influenced areas. Let us pray that the internet would stay open and available for feedback from those that are touched by these broadcast.
7)    May the Lord guide those that receive the letters and emails from the restricted areas. Lord, give them wisdom and Spirit led direction as they share Jesus.

Revelations 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Personal Note: Thanks for praying for my heart condition. The Croatian doctor told me six months ago that I had a chronic heart condition, I would be on medication until I die and there was not much hope. Today (Aug. 25th) he told me in his broken English, "We don't see this... Your heart is functioning as a normal persons. The heart has shrunk back to its normal size" ... "You can live a normal life" ... "Um...I can't explain how this happened...!" BUT WE CAN! Thanks again for your prayers for my health, God has performed a miracle and I am so grateful.

Pray for Slovenia

Week of Aug. 18-24, 2014

In the News: Slovenia Celebrates the Assumption of Mary

Catholics all over the world are celebrating the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary today. (Aug. 15th)

In Slovenia, masses have been held all over the country. Most people are expected in Mary's pilgrimage sites.

The Assumption of Mary, or Veliki Šmaren as it is called in Slovenia, commemorates the death of Jesus Christ's mother Mary, who has a special place in Christianity. This holiday has been celebrated on Aug 15 since 5th century. Pope Pius XII dogmatically defined this dogma in 1950.

In Slovenia, the worshipping of Mary has become very popular. More than 400 churches and chapels as well as, numerous path signs, are dedicated to her.

Does Mary, mother of Jesus receive greater worship than Jesus? Here in Croatia where we live, Mary was highly honored on August 15th. It was a holiday, with most stores and government offices closed. I spent some time witnessing on the streets of Zagreb and I found the main cathedral packed, with even President Ivo Josipovic in attendance. In the catholic cathedrals, statues and pictures of Mary are either elevated equal with Jesus or located in a highly decorated enclave. According to catholic belief, Catholics should pray to Mary because she has a special position in heaven.

Prayer Points:
1)    With Slovenia being a predominantly Catholic nation let us pray that the misguided Mary worship be refocused on the One who should be worshiped, and He is Jesus.
2)    Let us pray that Slovenes would come to know Jesus, may their eyes are opened to the reality that Jesus is the One who can answer their prayers.
Concerning the Evangelical churches:
3)    Our hearts are burdened for the churches in Slovenia. Let us pray that the Lord visit them with His overwhelming love.
4)    Pray that the Christians would not only honor the Lord but honor one another. My they give themselves to each other so the churches may be strengthened.
5)    Let us pray for a special visitation from the Holy Spirit in the churches, that He may root out sin in the churches and bring forth holiness.
6)    Let there be joy in God’s house. Pray that Slovene Christians would be secure in their salvation and excited about their daily walk in His kingdom. Lord, release a real sense of purpose and a knowing that they are chosen by God for such a time as this.
7)    Pray for the pastors and their families. May they be protected from principalities and powers that would want to hinder their work.
8)    Lord, we ask for a release of wisdom upon the pastors that will result in strategies to win the lost in Slovenia.
9)    Let us give thanks for the many children that were touched through the summer youth camps. May the good news they heard in the camps be forever sealed in their hearts.

Please leave a Comment or Reaction so we will know you Prayed.

Pray for Montenegro

Week of July 28 - Aug. 3, 2014

So much intercession, evangelism and teaching needs to be done in Montenegro. There are just so few evangelical churches and so few Christians in a country that has complete freedom of religion. There are three evangelical/protestant churches and maybe about 8 to 10 home groups; Less than 200 evangelical Christians in the whole country.


Prayer Points
1)    Let us first pray that the Lord would move the Holy Spirit toward this forsaken land. Let us pray for the compassion of heaven.
2)    Oh, Lord Jesus, send missionaries and raise up Montenegrin Christians that burn for their nation.
3)    Let us pray that the Father would extend mercy toward Montenegro and send out the Holy Spirit to stir the people’s hearts.

Kotor Bay: A Haven for Billionaires’ Yachts

In my research of Montenegro I came across information of foreign investment in the tourist industry. I can’t give the source due to copy-right laws.

There is development aimed at attracting the very wealthy to bring their yachts to Kotor Bay and enjoy the rugged but beautiful Adriatic coast of Montenegro. It is expected to be one of the most ambitious leisure projects along the Mediterranean. Development has already started for two marinas, seven hotels, a golf course and hundreds of villas, town houses and apartments. The unique small church buildings and prayer towers will become picture backdrops for tourist.

Now this is good news for Montenegro’s economy. The question is, what will happen spiritually? What is not said, is the gambling and prostitution that will follow.

4)    Lord, we are happy to see money coming into Montenegro to help the economy. Poverty is vide spread and people are hurting.
5)    Let us pray that Christians would seek out jobs in construction, hotel services and management, that Christians would open shops: coffee shops and other tourist establishments. Lord, send in Your salt. Matthew 5:13a “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?”
6)    Let us pray for mature Christians who are sold out for Jesus, that will not lose their flavor but stand on that land and cry out daily for His presence.
7)    Let us ask the Lord to bring confusion upon the enemy and his plans to use this development for dark purposes.

Please leave a Comment or Reaction so we will know you Prayed.

Pray for Macedonia

Week of July 21-27, 2014

Macedonia needs an outpouring of God’s Spirit. This is a country which has many problems with her neighbors; 1) Bulgaria says Macedonia has distorted the history of Bulgaria’s influence over the area, 2) Greece will not accept the name Macedonia because it has its own Macedonian area in Greece, 3) then there is the Greater Albanian movement demanding that Albanians in Macedonia have autonomy. This leads to the internal ethnic groups demanding special treatment and the government officials trying to balance out the laws to represent their concerns.

Our prayer is that all nations would accept their present borders and work internally to insure full representation of all ethnic groups in all internal institutions. The truth is that this can only happen through an applied Christian worldview.

Prayer Points:
1)    First of all let us pray for peace in Macedonia. As ethnic frustrations come to a head, may men and women of common sense take the leadership to work through to a peaceful solution.
2)    In order for Macedonia to survive there must be solutions to these ethnic problems. Let us pray for a peaceful dialog between all ethnic people groups involved.
3)    The greatest need is for Christians to be positioned by the Lord into the Macedonian spheres of influence. Let us pray for men and women with the spirit of Joseph. Joseph in the Bible never denied his nationality but he served his captors with excellence and devotion.
4)    Also there is the spirit of Daniel in the Bible. He was held captive in Babylon but he faithfully served three kings. Lord, we ask that You raise up Macedonian saints that will be Your representatives in all the spheres of influence in that country.
5)    (Daniel prayed three times a day and he was the adviser to three kings) Lord, we ask for men and women that will pray for Your guidance daily. Macedonia needs these men and women of integrity.
6)    May a respect for others’ reasonable rights be a theme that gains acceptance in Macedonia. Let us stand in prayer against those that cause ethnic strife. May their organizations dry up and their voices lose influence.
7)    Let us pray that the churches would become centers of strategy to reach out to the institutions of Macedonia. Let us ask for Christians that go into the marketplace daily letting Jesus flow through them.
8)    Let us pray for the power of dis-unity to be broken off Macedonia and a spirit of cooperation to take over. Lord, give the intercessors of Macedonia insight and authority to break this present spirit of division.

Please leave a Comment or Reaction so we will know you Prayed.

Pray for Albania

Week of June 9-15, 2014

 

 The following is an excerpt from an account of ministry done last Christmas in Albania.
Shkoder (North Albania)

We attended the Christmas service of Word of Christ Church where 40 families threatened by blood feud were invited. Women and kids came only because the men are not allowed to leave their home due to the blood feud law. Thus they must live their whole life in a home-prison, loosing their job and seeing their families get impoverished…. Elona Projj, pastor of Word of Christ Church and her son-in-law told us that there are already families that have come to the Lord and took the initiative for a reconciliation process with the families that were threatening them. Fekete Imre, Director, East European Mission based in Hungary http://www.misszio.eu

To learn more about the ‘Blood Feud law’ read more > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gjakmarrja, and http://blogs.reuters.com/events/2013/12/10/albanian-blood-feuds-force-families-into-isolation/

Prayer Points:
1)    First may we give honor to the East European Mission organization in Hungary for their continued outreach to these Blood Feud victims. May the Lord bless them with wisdom, passion and funding to continue blessing these families.
2)    Although unwritten, the Gjakmarrja, or Blood Feud is a deep traditional law that is based on the Old Testament law of “eye for an eye”. Let us cry out that as according to James 2:13, may mercy triumph over judgment! Let the spirit of forgiveness replace the spirit of revenge in the families affected by this demonic practice.
3)    We recognize this blood feud is a demonic strong hold over this people group. Let us pray against the principalities of the enemy and ask the Lord to send warring angels to break this bondage.
4)    One of the enemies’ tactics is fear. Lord, we ask that these victims, from both sides, be set free from fear. May this 500 year old curse be broken.
5)    Let us pray for revival in northern Albania where these blood feuds are most prevalent. May the power of forgiveness overcome! May mercy triumph over judgment!
6)    Let us pray concerning two statements from one of the two links above: “a lack of faith in the legal system to prosecute murderers causes families to settle disputes themselves”, and “there is a high level of corruption in the country, particularly among law enforcement agencies.” Pray that God would expose the corrupt and bring to light what is hidden so that Albania can enforce the law of the land.

After praying about the blood feuds, I felt there was more the Lord had for Albania. I begin to think of “friendship evangelism”. This is basically a process of befriending others with the intention of sharing Jesus with them. Here are the steps: 1) First be prayed up and at rest with the Lord, 2) Go to a public place and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you to someone, 3) Start a conversation with them by being genuinely interested in their life, ask questions, 4) Listen as they share about themselves, the Holy Spirit may give insight that goes deeper, 5) Then share Jesus and be ready for the gifts of the Spirit to operate. (1 Cor. 12:4-11) This is so easy; when you are filled with Jesus’ love, you just can’t help but want to share that love. Just remember to let the Holy Spirit lead.
 1 Cor. 14:20 And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.

7)    Let us pray for churches in Albania to encourage friendship evangelism.
8)    Pray that Albanian Christians would be so filled with Jesus’ love and that they will seek opportunities to share with others.

Please leave a Comment or Reaction so we will know you Prayed.

Pray for Serbia

Week of May 19-25, 2014

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST FOR SERBIA!
(Protestant Evangelical Alliance of Serbia asks for your prayers. Pray for the people of Serbia, Bosnia, and all who were affected by the floods.)

Dear friends,

We would like to ask you for your urgent and fervent prayers for Serbia. We have had heavy rainfalls for 3 days now, with the amount of rain equaling 3 month quantities (the samesituation is in Bosnia and Herzegovina). It caused local rivers overflowing (rising even to 4 meters in just 1 day) in majority of Serbian towns and cities, leaving thousands of citizens' homes and land flooded, their livestock and domestic animals drowned:-(. People were completely unprepared for this and in shock. So far, there are 5 casualties, but the numbers are not complete unfortunately. A massive storm churned river waters and triggered landslides across the country, leaving roads and railways underwater. Some motorways and roads are blocked, bridges torn down, and some towns in Serbia are still cut off from the civilization. This is the worst flooding ever in the history of Serbia.The Serbian government declared a state of emergency and natural disaster yesterday..

As we are writing this, we know for sure that 7.520 people were evacuated until this morning,135,000 homes are without electricity, 19 towns are flooded. The critical is the town of Obrenovac (suburb of Belgrade) which is being evacuated in total as it is 90% flooded. It has around 18 000 people in addition to be evacuated.

Another critical municipality is Sabac, in western Serbia (around 120 thousand people). It is close to the border of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the great danger is that the river Sava overflows during the night and tomorrow and endangers a huge population. At this point, over 3000 volunteers are traveling towards Sabac from all over Serbia to help the exhausted police forces, the army, the firemen fill the sand bags and try to stop the river overflowing.

Very difficult situation is in other towns like Lazarevac, Valjevo, Paraćin, Smederevska Palanka, Svilajnac, Petrovac na Mlavi. Majority of these towns don't have water or electricity or both. For a small and financially struggling country like Serbia, this sort of thing has a Katrina-like impact:
We would be thankful to you to pray for the following:

1.That God prevents rivers from more overflowing and the rainfall stops (especially it is critical for the town of Sabac and Obrenovac tonight), but also others.
2. That all the people are safely evacuated, with no more casualties.
3. That enough funds are raised in near future to make up for the losses people faced and these are huge (some are left without everything as their houses are lost in landslides and land, as their only source of income, is flooded).
4. For enough food, clothes, blankets and other needed items for thousands who are placed in schools, hospitals, hotels and other premises until the crisis is over.
5. For enough technical equipment to help pump the water from the flooded houses all over Serbia (EU, Russia, Israel already sent some help).
6. That God protects us from infections (in water and in food) due to animal decomposition which is currently underway.
7. All the crops in the flooded areas are completely devastated, which will hugely impact fragile Serbian economy. Pray for God's miracle and grace in this area and for complete restoration.
8. The flooding of bigger rivers is to be expected, so pray for the protection of rivers Sava and Danube.
9. It will take months for people to be able to start living normally, pray for God's mercy and protection and wisdom of the government officials in how to help and what to do. The damage is probably millions of euros.
Following are some links showing a dramatic situation:

This one is with Serbian comments from the Serbian national broadcaster Prva TV: http://www.prva.rs/web-tv/info/exploziv/12005/exploziv---16052014/34911/potop.html
This one is from the foreign media: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlY8UbF99tI

Feel free to share this email with your churches, home groups, forward to your friends and cover us in prayers. Thank you so much for your support. It is priceless.

God bless you

Pray for Serbia 5-19-14

In the News: 2 Drown in Serbia as Floods Hit Across Balkans
BELGRADE, Serbia May 15, 2014 (AP)

Two people drowned in Serbia and the country declared a national emergency Thursday as rain-swollen rivers across the Balkans flooded roads and bridges, shut down schools and cut off power. Hundreds of people had to be evacuated.

In Serbia and neighboring Bosnia, meteorologists said the rainfall was the most since measuring started 120 years ago. Belgrade authorities say the average rainfall of a two-month period hit the city in just 40 hours.
"What we are facing is the biggest water catastrophe in Serbia's history," Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said as his government appealed for help from the European Union, Russia and neighboring countries.
Surging water coursed through towns and villages, overflowing across streets and into homes, sweeping bridges off their moorings. Sodden hills crumbled into landslides. Dozens of buses and cars were stranded on flooded roads and two main north-south railway lines in Serbia were impassable. http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/woman-drowns-serbia-floods-23726450

I received the following email from Greg and Jelena Sivulka, faithful prayer partners in Serbia:

The past few days, we have had a cyclone over this country that has brought more rain than there has ever been since they started recording rainfall levels 120 years ago!  Some cities and towns have been completely flooded.  There have been electrical shortages and there's a possibility that the main power plant may have to shut down most of its operations due to the flooding.  Just about an hour ago we just received word from a reliable source that the tap water has become contaminated.  I went to the store and joined the crowds of people buying bottled water.  What a catastrophe! 

Fortunately, in our city, Novi Sad, no areas have had to be evacuated yet, although several houses have been flooded.  A state of emergency has been declared in the country and thousands of community service workers and volunteers have been working round the clock to reinforce riverbanks with sandbags.  The rain just continues to fall, but they say it should be calming down sometime this weekend.

Please keep us in prayer!

P.S.  Here's an article with photos that will give you a better idea of what's going on:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-27439139

Prayer Points:
1.    Let us pray for those suffering from this flooding in Serbia and Bosnia.
2.    Pray for the families of those that lost their lives due to the flooding.
3.    Pray for those that have had property damage, being overwhelmed by water.
4.    In the long run, pray that the Churches would take a lead in rescuing, caring for and over the months ahead, restoring families back to a normal existence.
5.    Truly it is a time upon the earth when we are seeing unnatural things happening in nature. Lord, help the Serbian people to look beyond the present tragedies and have hope for the future.
6.    This flooding tragedy will compound the already financial problems in Serbia. Let us pray for hope to supernaturally spring forth and a real “roll up our sleeves and go to work” attitude.

Ecclesiastes 3:10-12 (NLT)  I have seen the burden God has placed on us all.  Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.

Please leave a Comment or Reaction so we will know you Prayed

Pray for Kosovo

Week of April 21-27, 2014

Personal Story: In 1985 I visited a couple in Kosovo, John and Maria Angelic, who just moved from Serbia to start a church in Kosovo. It was Easter Sunday and I remember thinking; “In America the churches are filled on this day but here in Kosovo there is not even one Evangelical Church to attend”.
 

Last week, while in Kosovo, we talked with two local pastors and they spoke of their advancing congregations. They report that although there is national dislike and sometimes persecution against the few Orthodox who remained in the area, the Evangelicals are somewhat respected.

From Operation World: Kosovo’s Albanian population is predominately Muslim. Many Kosovars are quite nominally Muslim, though extremism is on the rise. Large financial injections from Saudi Arabia and Iran come with strings attached that pull Kosovo toward more radical forms of Islam. Reportedly, hundreds of mosques have been erected using such funds… http://www.operationworld.org/koso

There is no official count of the number of Evangelicals in Kosovo today but they are growing monthly. Most of the larger cities like Pristina, Gjakovë, Prizren, etc now have growing churches.

Prayer points:

 1. God is good as he took the seed John and Maria Angelic and missionaries before them planted some 30 years ago and has allowed it to flourish.   Let us now pray for exponential multiplication.

 2. A lot of Muslims seem nominal toward Islam and with the right approach accessible to the Gospel. Lord, we ask for the Christians in Kosovo to be trained to reach out to their Muslim friends.

 3. Let us pray against these foreign Muslim influences that are pouring money into Kosovo to “buy” the hearts of Kosovars and lead them in following the teachings of Islam.

 4. Let us pray for strategies from heaven to be imparted into the leaders that will expedite the growth.

 5. May the Christians be motivated to reach out to their Muslim neighbors and co-workers.

 6. Lord, show the churches how they can serve their city. Give them ideas of kindness toward their cities so they may have favor in the eyes of the people.

 7.     Let us pray for a spirit of unity over the believers in Kosovo. Much like in the rest of the Balkans, disunity has claimed its victims in Kosovo as well. May the Body for Christ learn to live in unity, with gladness and simplicity of heart. May the world see that they are one.

Acts 2: 46-47 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,  praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

Please leave a Comment or Reaction so we will know you Prayed.

Special Report - BalkanNetworks Meeting

Week of April 14-20, 2014

This week, instead of a prayer directive, we will report on our visit to a refugee camp in Podgorica, Montenegro and the Balkan Networks strategy meeting in Gjakove, Kosovo which we attended last week.

Zuzanna and I started out by driving down the Croatian coast Monday and Tuesday (April 7-8) and were amazed at the beauty our creative Father laid out for us to enjoy.

We arrived to Montenegro and met with Sinisa Nadazdin who pastors in a Roma (Gypsy) refugee camp. At the camp we observed the degrading conditions of life for about 1,600 refugees. Several have come to know Jesus in the camp and are so hungry for Him. This was evident in the mid-week service we attended where about 75% was made up of young people. He has worked with the refugees for some six years and has earned their trust. Sinisa helps them in countless ways, among which is worth noting that he helps the refugees work through the entangled bureaucracy of the paperwork in order to establish their identity. These refugees have been struggling to get legal status for many years. They had fled from Kosovo during the conflict there about fourteen years ago.

On April 10th we boarded a bus for a six and a half hour ride into Kosovo. I want to say, Montenegro has some of the most unappreciated beauty Zuzanna and I have ever seen. The mountains and valleys are just breath-taking.

We arrived in Gjakova, Kosovo for the Balkan Networks meeting Thursday afternoon.  It was great to meet men and women I had been corresponding with, some for years, through Praying for the Balkans, Project. It was good to meet many other Christians who have a burden for the Balkan countries. The meeting was very on purpose and we saw in many ways how each of us fit into the puzzle of the coming revival in the Balkans, which we firmly believe is on the horizon.

The inspiring news is that there has been an increase over the past few years of ministries coming or being raised up in the Balkan countries. We were blessed to have some pastors from the region that came and shared their dreams with us. I know I will leave some out but let me mention some of the participants at the meeting and the ministries they represent.

   ·    Albin Larsson, from Romania, missionary and organizer of the event. Truly Albin did a remarkable job of pulling us together and setting the agenda.
   ·    Jeff McLaughlin, from Kosovo – missionary, who did the ground work in Gjakova and lead our worship times.
   ·    Dag Schjelderup who has been serving in Albania for many years as a prophetic voice and pastor.
   ·    Bryan Brenchley, businessman from Macedonia, spoke to us about deepening our relationships and connecting with Kingdom minded people throughout the region.
   ·    Lee Saville, missionary from Romania, was our main speaker. Thank you Lee, for setting the tone and challenging us to press on with expected assistance from heaven.
   ·    George Markakis, pastor form Athens, Greece. Pastor George was a defining voice that helped bring clarity to the meeting.
   ·    Venco Nakov, pastor from Macedonia, stressed to us the importance of prayer that must precede the move of God coming to the Balkans.
  ·    Werner Woiwode, from Switzerland with Trumpet Call – Europe, is going forth blowing the Trumpet of  the Lord in all European nations; the sounds of heaven are coming to earth. (Werner, I started reading your book “Stranded on Life’s obstacles” )
   ·    Many others:
      o    Michael Long, missionary from Thessaloniki, Greece.
      o    Julian and Beatrice Kastrati, local church leaders in Albania
      o    Barry Ogden, missionary in Albania
      o    Pal Katona, missionary in Macedonia
      o    Rachel Bevan, missionary in Romania
      o    Katrine Drevon, YWAM representative from Serbia
      o    Athol Barnes from the USA, with Call2all, an organization to reach all hidden people     groups
      o    Jerry McCarty and Donald Chandler from the USA with Serve the City
      o    Others, unnamed but special participants to the meeting

We were blessed to also have with us four pastors/evangelist from Argentina that had come with Michael Long. These gentlemen challenged us and spoke into our lives great Hope. They spoke of their plans to mobilize hundreds of missionaries from South America to take the Gospel back to Europe as a way of thankfulness to Europe for bringing it to them many years ago.

To Zuzanna and I, this Balkan Networks meeting was reassuring to us that God is truly answering the prayers we have prayed for the Balkans all these years.

Please leave a Comment or Reaction so we will know you Prayed.